Ahhh. A lot more fun to write these when things go relatively well for the Avalanche. While the rest of the division enjoyed predominantly solid weeks themselves, the Avs certainly didn't hurt themselves with the 4 of 6 possible points they earned in the last 7 days. While the gap between top and bottom has started to get wider, most everyone who has watched just one of their games believes Minnesota is going to come down to Earth in a significant and soul-crushing way. Personally, I can't wait.
The Avs have a very important week ahead of them as they play all three Canadian teams in the division on the road after they finish up their ridiculously long home stand that hasn't gone quite as well as we needed it to. The only team that doesn't face much of a challenge this week is Vancouver, who is happy to host all kinds of struggling teams and prepare to crush face as they continue to enjoy having the highest paid backup in the league (DiPi doesn't count because he's made of glass so shush). I can't wait for them to trade Schneider for an amazing haul and crush my dreams of them not dominating the division for the next five years. Preemptive dicks.
The rest of the division? Well...it's going to be a fun week.
Team capsules after the jump.
All standings related info taken from NHL.com...
Calgary Flames (24 GP 10-12-2 22 Pts)
Last Week: 2-1-1 0-2 L @ STL, 5-2 W @ MIN, 1-0 W vs. NSH, 3-4 OTL vs. CBJ
Conference Standing: 13th Place
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.2 (28th)
- Goals Against: 2.6 (16th)
- Power Play %: 12.7 (25th)
- Penalty Kill %: 80.2 (23rd)
This Week: Calgary heads into the weekend playing its best hockey of the season against teams not from Colorado and look to build off that with away games at Edmonton Saturday and Vancouver Sunday before coming home for midweek tilts versus Carolina on Tuesday and getting the easy win against Colorado Thursday.
News: The Flames had two prospects invited to Team Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp, the same one both Calvin Pickard and Duncan Siemens were not invited to.
Why Jarome Iginla is staying put.
Seems the Avs aren't the only team already rapidly backing away from their lackluster off-season acquisitions.
Why couldn't we claim Blake Comeau instead :(
Transactions: D Brett Carson was assigned to Abbotsford of the AHL for a 14-day conditioning stint.
Injuries: omgomgomg they updated it AGAIN.
- Anton Babchuk is on IR with a hand injury.
- David Moss is on IR with a foot injury.
- Mark Giordano is on IR with a hamstring injury.
Colorado Avalanche (25 GP 11-13-1 23 Pts)
Last Week: 2-1-0 5-2 W vs. EDM, 1-3 L vs. DAL, 6-1 W vs. NJ
Conference Standings: 12th place
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.6 (18th)
- Goals Against: 3.0 (20th)
- Power Play %: 22.9 (3rd)
- Penalty Kill %: 81.2 (19th)
This Week: The Avs finish up their franchise record 8-game home stand with certain losses to St. Louis Friday (where Chris Stewart of course is going to breakout of his season long funk) and Detroit Sunday because, come on, I'm just being pessimistic here. The Avs put their road mettle to the test with a very busy week, beginning Tuesday in Vancouver before hitting up a back-to-back Thursday in Calgary and Friday in Edmonton. Needless to say, this is a very big week for the Avalanche (and Joe Sacco, apparently).
Edmonton Oilers (25 GP 12-10-3 27 Pts)
Last Week: 1-2-1 5-2 W @ MIN, 2-5 L @ COL (yeessssss), 1-2 L vs. NSH, 2-3 OTL vs. MIN
Conference Standings: 11th place
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.6 (17th)
- Goals Against: 2.4 (11th)
- Power Play %: 21.0 (4th)
- Penalty Kill %: 84.9 (9th)
This Week: Strangely scheduled week for the Oilers as they play host to a back-to-back Friday versus Columbus and Saturday versus Calgary before a nice three day break, after which the Flames resume action Wednesday night versus Carolina.
News: Grant Fuhr likes it and likes it a lot.
A quick look at the impact already being felt by the loss of Taylor Hall.
Shawn Horcoff attempts to lead the way, I guess.
Oilers showing signs of being a playoff team? Does a lot of good in November...
So now we're comparing the Oilers D to past Avs D. Cool!
Oilers fans always finding ways to make their team look way better, amirite? :p
Transactions: D Alex Plante had a typical AHLer week being reassigned and called back up within 24 hours and C Ryan O'Marra was also recalled this past week.
Injuries:
- Cam Barker is out 3 months with an ankle injury.
- Corey Potter is out 4 weeks with an ankle injury.
- Andy Sutton is out 7-10 days with a groin injury.
- Taylor Hall is out 2-4 weeks with a shoulder injury.
- Ben Eager is day-to-day with a back injury.
Minnesota Wild (25 GP 15-7-3 33 Pts)
Last Week: 2-2-0 2-5 L vs. EDM, 2-5 L vs. CGY, 3-1 W vs. TB, 3-2 W @ EDM
Conference Standing: 1st place
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.2 (28th)
- Goals Against: 2.2 (4th)
- Power Play %: 14.4 (23rd)
- Penalty Kill %: 83.9 (12th)
This Week: Fresh off their beating at the hands of the Avs, the Devils take their traveling circus act to Minnesota for the Wild's look at the almost late, not-so-great Martin Brodeur. Theeeen the Wild hit the road for a five game roadie starting with the first leg of the SoCal Swing Sunday at Anaheim before heading north to get nomnomnom'd Tuesday night in San Jose and then heading back south Thursday to be crowned the new Kings of SoCal. Yeah, I'm just making shit up now. sup.
News: Heavy stat post looks at just how good the Wild really are.
Transactions: Really busy week for the Wild organization as they moved a lot of players around:
- Recalled LW Casey Wellman and C David McIntyre from Houston of the AHL. Reassigned D Nate Prosser and C Warren Peters to Houston. Activated D Greg Zanon from Injured Reserve.
- Assigned G Dennis Endras to HIFK of the Finnish League. Promoted G Darcy Kuemper from Ontario of the ECHL to Houston of the AHL.
- Recalled C Cody Almond from Houston of the AHL.
Injuries: Lazy copy/paste mode ENGAGE.
- Guillaume Latendresse suffered a concussion and was placed on injured reserve on November 16.
- Marek Zidlicky suffered a concussion and was placed on injured reserve on November 23.
- Justin Falk is "banged up" and not on the trip to Edmonton. This will be the second game he has missed.
Vancouver Canucks (25 GP 14-10-1 29 Pts)
Last Week: 3-1-0 5-0 W @ PHX, 3-2 W @ SJ, 4-1 W vs. CBJ, 5-6 L vs. NSH
Conference Standing: 9th place
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 3.0 (7th)
- Goals Against: 2.5 (12th)
- Power Play %: 24.8 (1st)
- Penalty Kill %: 87.4 (6th)
This Week: A nice weekend off for the Canucks as they stay home and host Calgary on Sunday and Colorado on Tuesday, both pretty lolezmode games for them, especially when they start Schneider. They finish up next week in Montreal on Thursday.
News: Canucks wives have been busy ^_^
Joe Sacco is 13th among head coaches in the NHL in longest tenure with their current club. Try to refrain from raging about it. Life is hard.
Transactions: None.
Injuries:
- Mason Raymond is out indefinitely with a back injury
- Andrew Ebbett is out indefinitely with a foot injury
- Steve Pinizotto is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury
- Byron Bitz is out indefinitely with a lower body injury
- Same Salo is day-to-day with a groin injury